Full plate watoh and time piece movement



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

F. PITT.

PULL PLATE WATCH AND TIME PIECE MOVEMENT.

No. 281,758. Patented Ju1y24, 1883.

Fig.1,

VVITNE EEE: INVENTUR: I

N. PETERS. Phnlu-Lilhugnphur, wnmn mn, D. c.

. I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. F. PITT.

FULL PLATE WATCH AND TIME PIECE MOVEMENT.

(No Model.)

No. -281,'758. Patented July 24, 1883.

UNITED STATES .a'rENT Fries.

FREDERICK FITT, OF OHAUX-DE-FONDS, SWVITZERLAND.

FULL-PLATE WATCH AND TIME-PIECE MOVEMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 281,758, dated July 24,1883.

Application filed March 9, 1883.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK FITT, of GhauX-de-Fonds, in the canton of N euchatel and Republic of Switzerland, have invented certain Improvements in Full-Plate WVatches and Time-Piece Movements, of which the following is a specification.

' watch containing my improvements; Fig. 2, a

similar view with the escapement removed; Fig. 3, an under side or bottom face view of the escapement and its support 5 Fig. 4, a perspective view, showing the escapement-'platform and balancecock separated, though when in use they are firmly united; Fig. 5, a view of the inside of the pillar-plate, showing the working of the safety-bolt; Fig. 6, a view of the upper plate and barrel-bridge; Fig. 7, a

perspective view of a lathe-head for turning a number of watchplates with barrel -bridge complete, and Fig. 8 a section on the line 50 0c of Fig. 6.

Various plans and constructions have hitherto been adopted or proposed for permitting the ready detachment andremoval of watchescapements in three-quarter plate, halfplate, and other watches not having a full plate; but, so far as I am aware, no one has ever before proposed to so construct a full plate watch, it having been hitherto deemed impracticable or impossible, although the desirability of so doing has long been recognized. My present invention solves the difficulty hitherto experienced, and simplifies and cheapens the watch in other respects at the same time.

Referring now to the drawings, A represents the back plate of a full-plate watch, secured to the pillars or posts B of pillar-plate O by means of screws D, as shown." lhe back plate, A, is formed with a raised barrel-bridge, E, formed integrally with said plate, as more clearly shown in Fig. 8, the screws D at its (No model.) 7

ends and the curved line marking its boundary giving it, however, the appearance of a separate plate, as usual. By thus making-the barrel-bridge or name-piece E in one piece with the back plate I not only materially increase the strength and stiffness of said plate, but I greatly cheapen the cost of manufacture, because, being curved on the arc of a circle, the bridge or raised plate can be cut or formed in a lathe, and several plates may be operated upon simultaneously by securing them at the same time to a lathe-head, as shown in Fig. 7. This construction is rendered feasible by reason of the other improvements I have made in the watch, ready access to the wheels and pivots being afforded through an opening, a, made in the back plate to receive the escapement, so that after the escapement is removed in the manner presently explained it is about as easy and convenient to remove the whole plate to get at the barrel as it is to remove the ordinary barrel-bridge.

F represents the escapement bed or platform, made of a shape and size to exactly conform to and fill the opening a of the back plate, and between said platform and a bracket or support, G, secured thereto, are placed the escape wheel II and pallet-lever I, while above the platform are arranged the balance-wheel J and hair-spring K, all of which may be of the usual pattern or construction.

-L represents the balance-cock, which carries the upper end of the balance-wheel spindle, and to which the escapement plate or platform F is firmly attached by means of a screw, M, and steady-pins I). The cock proper is secured to the back plate, A, by a single screw, N, and steady-pins.c, which enter openings f in said plate.

1 represents a slide held and guided upon the pillar-plate O, and provided with a pin, d, to enter between the teeth of center wheel, Q, and thereby to prevent the movement of the watch-train, and the consequent unwinding of the spring when the escapement is re moved, the slide being at such time pressed forward by aspring, R, bearing upon its outer end. The slide 1? is formed with an incline,

e, as shown more plainly in Fig. 8, which is located directly under the screw N, so that as the latter is screwed down to its place to secure the cock-prop and escapement-platform,

in place its pointed or rounded end bears upon the incline and crowds or presses it back, thereby moving the slide and withdrawing pin (1 from the teeth of wheel Q and permitting the parts again to go into action. IVhen the screw N is again witlulrawn, the operation is of course reversed. The screw rises from the incline, allowing the slide to move easily and gradually forward until it looks the center wheel, and by continuing to turn the screw backward the cock-prop and escapement-plattorm are released.

Any style of eseapement maybe emp1oyedstraight-line, angular, or eylinder-and the form of opening a may be varied according to circumstances.

In some cases the cock-prop is planted to the right and in others to the left, and the opening will of course be made to suit the position adopted.

It will of course be understood that the invention is applicable to other forms of timepiece than watches, but is only intended for such as have full plates.

The figures are enlarged to illustrate the in vention more clearly. I 4

By these improvements I am enabled to construct the watch atless cost in the first instance, to assemble the parts, apply and adjust the escapement with great ease, and to remove, inspect, and repair the escapement, or substitute another for it, either temporarily or permanently, with the least possible trouble, and this while retaining the full plate.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. As a new article of manufacture, a fullplate watch provided with an eseapement adapted to be bodily detached and removed from the watch, substantially as set forth.

2. In a watch, a bacc plate having an unbroken circular outline, and having a barrelbridge formed integrally therewith, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a watch, the combination, with plate A, having opening a, of the balance-plati'orm F, adapted to fill said opening, and secured to the balance-cock, substantially as shown.

4:. In a watch, the combination of a back plate provided with an opening, an escapeinent-platforin provided with an escapement and fitting within said opening, and a balanceeoek overhanging and supporting said plat form and secured to the back plate, substantially as shown and described.

In a watch, the combination, with bal: ance-coek L, of the escapement-platfinrm firmly secured to and supported by said cock,wl iereby the disengagement of the cock permits the re moval of the escapement.

6. In combination with plate A, having open ing a and holesf, the escapement-platior1n F and balance-cock secured one to the other, and the latter provided with pins b c, and the screw N, passing through said cock and plate,where by the cock and escapementplatform are socured in place.

7. In combination with balance-cock L and escapement-platioi'm F, carried thereby, the screw I passing through the cock and watch plate, and the spring-pressed slide I, arranged beneath the screw, provided with in eline e, and adapted to engage with the wheel of the watch train, substantially as shown and described.

FREDERICK Fl "[7.

\Vitnesses:

A. Sciiwor, L. DREYFUSS. 

